Electric refrigerator



Dw- 8, l931- J. K. BUTLER ELECTRIC RFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 17. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l By C Dea 8,1931. J.K.BUTLER ELECTRIC REFRI GERATOR Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JACK X. BUTLER, l' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ABSIGNOB TQ AUTOMATIC BEFRIGERATOR RPORATION, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE morale maremma Application tiled Uetober 17, 1930. Serial No. 489,283.

- riod of time.

the amount of current consumed y therefri erating unit during the operating per1o Other more vspecific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon a full understanding of the nat-ure, relationship and purpose of the several novelly cooperating parts ofthe apparatus.

One form of the invention is presented herein by way of exemplification, but it will of course be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of -embodiment in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In 'the accompanying drawings:

Fig.' 1 .is a front, partially broken away view of an ordinary electric refrigerator equipped with the apparatus of the invention' Fi, 2 is a front view of an encased unit whic contains some of the parts of the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus,`showing the electrical connections between the several parts thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the timing mechanism of Fig. 2 with the casing shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through certain parts of the mechanism,`

taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front -view of the mechanism correspondin to the .APR l. 6 1940 mostatic and de-frosting switches 12 and 13; a timing motor 14; a solenoid 15; `a mainl switch 16 for both motors which is closed by the action of the solenoid and is opened by the action of the timing motor; and a normally open switch 17 for the solenoid which v REISSUEDr is closed momentarily whenever a coin is inserted in a slot provided for that purpose.

The above named parts 14, 15,16 and 17 together .constitute a coin-controlled timing mechanism 18 which forms the subject matter of a seplrate application for patent filed by J ames Curless on even date herewith Serial No. 489,287. The parts are embodied `in cooperative relation with the refrigerating units in the supply circuit of the refrigerator in the manner disclosed in the sche-l matic illustration of Fig. 3. As illustrated in Fig. 2, a constant speed motor 14 is arranged to drive a reducing gear train having cooperatively associated therewith a planet gear 20 on a pivotally mounted lever 21 connected with the tilting main switch 16. An escapement wheel 22 is associated with oneV of the drivengears of the gear train, and the solenoid 15 energized by the coin control switch 17 when a coin is inserted, is operatively connected with the escapement wheel to set the timing mechanism for time operating periods in accordance with the number of coins successively inserted in the device.'

For operation of the particular timing structure selected for pur oses of illustration, reference is-had to Flgs. 4,5 and 6 of the drawings. The motor 14 is attached to a vertical partition 74 with the armature shaft connected by reduction gearing with a slow speed shaft projecting forwardly through an aperture 76 in the partition Where it is provided with a small pinion 77 which meshes on a larger pinion 78;- The pinion 78 is journaled on a stub shaft 79 and is provided at its rear face with a small pinion 80 which meshes with a relatively large gear 81.

The gear 81 is journaled on another stub shaft 23 and is provided at its front face with a small pinion 24. The pinion'24 meshes latterally with an arcuately movable planet pinion 20 which is journaled on the outer end of one arm of a bell-crank lever 27. The

lever 27 is pivotally mounted on the front end of the shaft 2E. The planet pinion 20 also meshes laterally with a relatively large gear 28 which is journaled on a rod 29 which projects forwardly from the partition.

The free end of the arm of the bell-crank lever is yieldingly maintained in a downwardly inclined position during the rotation of the motor 14 by a tensioned coil spring 30 which extends from a stationary hook 31 to the free end of the other'arm of the bell crank lever. When the motor 14 rotates, the gear 81 rotates very slowly in a clockwise direction, and the gear 28 rotates even more slowly in a clockwise direction, the rotation of the gear 28 being due to the anchorage provided for the planet pinion 20 by the resistance of the spring 30.

The gear 28 is provided with a forwardly projecting sleeve 33 on which an escapement wheel 34 is, journaled. Thewheel 34 is tory:ses

,sionally connected to the gear 28 by a light coil spring 35 which encompasses the sleeve and is attached at one end to the wheel and at the other end to the sleeve. The wheel 34 is provided on its rear face with a rearwardly projecting stud 36 which is disposed in the path of revolution of a similar stud 37 on the front face of the gear 28. The spring 35 is so arranged as to tend to rotate the wheel in a clockwise direction after the gear 28 has been rotated in a clockwise direction with the wheel held against such movement.

The escapement wheel 34 is normally held .against clockwise rotation by an escapement pawl 38 which is pivotally attached to a pin 39. The pawl 38 has a nose 40 which is normally held by a tensioned coil spring 41 in a position behind one of several teeth 42 on the periphery of the wheel. When the pawl 38 is oscillated in a clockwise direction, the nose 40 on the pawl will release from the tooth 42 which it previously engaged, and another nose 43 on the pawl will move into the path of another tooth, whereby to permit the wheel 34 to rotate in a clockwise direction under the action of the spring 35 through a short are corresponding to the distance between adjoining teeth.

The escapement pawl 38 is oscillated in a clockwise direction by the solenoid 15 connected to the pawl by a link 46. The solenoid is energized to pull on the link 46 Whenever a coin, suchas a twenty-five cent piece, is caused to close the switch 17. v successively,

. energizing.l the solenoid by insertion of sev- -If desired, severalcoins may be inserted at eral coins will variably increase the operating period of the timing mechanism as energization ofthe solenoid causes the pawl 38 to permit the wheel 34 to turn in a clockwise direction under the action of the wound spring 35.

-' the same time one after the other, the wheel 34 turning angularly lfor each coin inserted. Before the insertion of the first coin, the

stud 37 on the gear 28 will be in a position in abutment with the stud 36 on the wheel 34. After the lirst coin has been inserted, however, the stud- 36 will have been moved by the wheel into a position wherein the gear 28 will have to rotate through one-ninth of a revolution before the stud 37 will abut again with the stud 36. If several coins, for instance four, have been inserted at the same time, the stud 36 will have assumed a position wherein the gear 28 will have to rotate through four-ninths of a revolution before the stud 37 will abut with the stud 36.

As previously, stated, the gear 28 rotates very slowly in a clockwise direction when the motor 13 is operating. Wheny the stud 37 on the gear 28 finally comes into engagement with the stud 36 on the wheel 34, the ear 28 will be prevented from rotating any arther, and the planet pinion 25, which is in mesh with the gear 28, will thereupon commence to travel upwardly in an arc. The upward movement of the pinion 20 will of course impart a corresponding oscillation to the bellcrank lever 27, the latter moving from the position shown in Fig. 6.

The bell-crank lever 27 is connected by a link 57 to a throw-over lever 58 which is pivoted at 59 to a stationary bracket 60. An arm 61 is pivoted at 62 to the lower portion of the lever 58 andis provided at one end with a roller 63 adapted to coact with a cam track on the structure to obtain a snap action of the tiltable mercury switch 16 in a conventional manner. The switch 16 includes a glass capsule partly filled with mercury and 1s supported by spring clips 69.

When the bell-crank lever 27 moves into the position shown in Fig. 6, it will oscillate the throw-over lever 58 in a clockwise direction, causing the roller 63 to ride on the cam surface, thereby tilting the switch 16 into its open position. The switch 16 is inv the circuit of the motor 14.

The switch 16 will remain in its open position until another coin is inserted. Upon inclockwise direction, and such movement ofl the bell-crank lever will cause the throw-over lever 58 to oscillate in a counterelockwise direction, riding the roller 63 on its cam track, resulting in theswitch 16 being tilted into its closed position.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the present invention is in no way limited to the above described timing mechanism details, and that such details are included merely for the purpose of exemplification. The particular timing mechanism shown is a separate in- 'placed in the circuit tors, and the solenoid and coin-operated` vention and forms the subject matter of the previously mentioned Curless/application.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, the compressor motor 11 and timing motor are'connected in parallel in an electrical circuit 19,'and the thermostatic switch 12 and defrosting switch 13 are arranged in the circuit `in series with the compressor motor and witlb each other. The main switch 16 is in series with the moswitch 17 are connected in series andar- When a coin,

. noid 15, is mechanically connected with the, a after such motorhas been ranged in parallel with tim-ing motor.

. In the inactive condition of the apparatus, wherein neither the motor 11 nor the motor 14 is'operating, the switches 12 and 13 are closed and the switches 16 and 17 are open. for instance a twenty-live cent piece,` is inserted in the switch 17, it will momentarily close the latter, thereby causing the solenoid 15 to be energized. The solenoid 15, which is mechanically connected with the switch 16`, will thereupon close the latter, thus completing the circuit 19 through the motors 11 and' 14 and starting both of the same. The timing motor 14, like the solethe main switch and switch 16, and, running for a predetermined length of time,

it will automatically open the switch, there- `35Qthe timing motor circuit, a timing motor in the circuit in'parallel with the compressor the main switch, means for causin by shutting oil the current through both motors and returning the apparatus to its inactive condition. During the operation o 14, the compressor mot r 11 may be independently shut off, either gy the automatic operation of the switch 12 or manual operation of the switch 13.

I claim:

1. In electrical refrigeration apparatus,

` the combination, with a compressor motor,

means automatically actuof a timing motor, ated by insertion of a coin for conditioning the circuit for starting both motors at.the Sametime, means for shutting oi both motors at the same time after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and means for shutting oif the compressor motor before the end of such period without shutting oft' the timing motor. l

2. In electrical an electric current, a compressor motor Ain the switch in the circuit in fseries with both motors, a solenoid in the circuit in parallel with v the ing motor` to o'pen the main switc after a predetermined period' of time has elapsed, ans for causing the solenoid to close the main switch when' ener zed, and a coincontrolled switch in the circuit in series with the solenoid for energizing the latter to close the main switch and place the apparatus -in '65 operation 4 allel with the compressor i with the .timin ently of the timing refrigeration apparatus,

motor, a main 3. In electrical refrigeration apparatus, an-electric circuit, a compressor motor in the, circuit, a timingl motor in the circuit in parmotor, a main switch in the circuit which is adapted to be. opened bythe timing motor ,after a predetermined period o time has elapsed, which switch is connected in series with both motors, a solenoid which is, adapted to close the main switch, and a coinoperated switch which is adapted to close the circuit of the solenoid when operated.

4. In electrical Y refrigeration apparatus, an electrical energy supply circuit, a compressor motor energized from the supply circuit, timing means including a constant speed electric motor for controlling the time period of operation of the apparatus, coin-actuated means variably controlling the operating period of the timing means in accordance with the number of coins,successively employed, and a main-switch operatively connected with 1 the timing means for simultaneously con` trolling operation of the compressor and timing motors. l 9

5. In electrical Lrefrigerating apparatus,

actuated by insertionof a coin and includi g a constant speed electric motor energi ed from said circuit for controlling thetiine period 'of operation of the apparatus, a'compressor motor energized from said circuit, a main switch associated means for controlling simultaneously the e ectrical energy supplyto the compressor and 4timing motors, and a separate switch for automatically controlling. in response to refrigeration requirements o eration of the compressor motor -indepen means In testimony whereof I have hereinto subscribed my name.

JACK K. BUTLER. 

